Being Human
by wolvenlied
Summary: Sequel to the fic Never Giving Up On You. Arcee adjusts to life on earth with Jack. Abigail learns what it means to be human. Collection of short slice of life stories in no particular order. Ships: Jack x Arcee, June x Fowler.
1. A home part 1

**A/N Finally a sequel to Never Giving Up On You. I feel a little out of practice because I haven't had much time to write and I haven't written this ship for a while. I hope they don't sound too out of character. Anyway, this fic is more slice of life and a mix of random headcanons about Jack and Arcee living on earth with their daughter. I'd like to explore more of Abigail adjusting to her life after Silas and how Arcee adjusts to living on earth permanently. I kind of enjoy writing family orientated fics the most.**

 **Also huge thanks to my new betareader Dezzy (Destiny_Lovell) on AO3 for her help.**

 **Enjoy~**

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"Well, what do you think?" Jack said standing inside the large empty room with his arms outstretched.

"What is this place?" Arcee said looking around her. The room was huge, it's ceiling big enough for her 15foot frame to stand up in. The floor was plain concrete with oil stains and tire tracks. Two car lifts were set into the floor, there was a stack of old tyres in one corner and a row of shelving with various tools hung on the wall. There was also a tyre pump, jumper cables littered around the floor and some empty oil barrels. The windows of the room were large and let in plenty of light, though most of them were broken.

"It used to be a mechanic shop and now it's going to be our home," Jack smiled proudly. "It needs some work to make it liveable for Abigail and me but once it's finished it will be perfect. Mom and Bill helped me find it."

Arcee didn't know what to say. She just smiled as he continued to enthuse about where they were going to sleep and where Abigail's room would be, then the kitchen, living room, dining area, and bathroom, which wasn't so important to Arcee. The past few weeks they'd been living with Jack's parents but it was kind of too small for the three of them. Arcee didn't have much space to sleep in the garage, Jack had his own room and Abigail slept with Jack's younger sister Jacey. With Jack's youngest sibling on the way, the house was starting to feel cramped. Jack also felt he needed his own space for his family.

The mechanic shop was a few blocks away from where his mother and step-father lived and near the outskirts of the town of Jasper. The building itself was as tatty as anything and run down, it had been abandoned a few years ago. At the back of the shop was a door that lead to the private living area. When Jack's step-father had suggested it to him he knew it was exactly what his family needed and now that Arcee had seen the place she couldn't agree more. At least she had plenty of room to stretch out and no longer would need to sleep in her vehicular form.

"I guess, it will do," she said to Jack who was waiting for her reply.

"You'll see, Cee, it'll be great," he smiled. "We'd better head back. Mom will have dinner ready soon."

Arcee transformed into her vehicular mode and Jack ran his fingertips along her saddle, causing her to shiver, then hopped on. "At least we'll get some alone time once we have our own place," he said softly near to her audio receiver.

"Indeed," she revved her engine and they headed to Jack's parents' home.

"Ackie!" Jacey ran up to Jack when he walked through the door, she'd obviously heard the garage door and had been waiting for him. "Hey sis," he said picking her up for a cuddle. "Where's Abigail?"

"Wid mommy," she said.

Jack followed the smell of his mother's cooking and entered the kitchen to find his mother and daughter at the stove.

"That's it you keep stirring the sauce, sweetie," she instructed her granddaughter.

"What's for dinner?" Jack asked them.

"Spaghetti," Abigail smiled, "grandma June helped me make the sauce."

"So, how did the house hunting go?" June asked.

"Well, it needs a lot of work but it's just what we need."

"I'm glad to hear that," she replied rubbing her stomach. It was starting to ache somewhat and she hoped it was just Braxton Hicks.

"Are you okay, mom?" he asked noticing his mother's discomfort.

"I'm fine, Jack, now go set the table with Jacey,"

"Come on squirt, let's go," he said going over to the cupboard where the plates were stored.

Twenty minutes later they were all sat at the wooden diningroom table, his step-father had arrived home from work too. His step-father, who happened to also be his boss, talked about work and Jack discussed the prospect of moving into his own house with his family.

"Why can't we stay here with grandma and grandpops?" Abigail said dismally and looked down into her almost empty plate.

"Because, Abby, this house is too small for all of us." Jack rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.

"You know, Jack, in a few more weeks school will be starting, have you thought of which school you're going to send Abby to?" Jack's mother said trying to change the subject.

"What's school?" both Abby and Jacey asked.

"It's a place you can go to learn," Jack tried to explain.

"Learn what?" Abby said.

"Well you know like read and write, and maths, and make friends,"

"I know how to read." Abby rather matter-of-factly. "When I was with….," Abigail trailed off and got down from the table. She tried to force the bad memories away of the time she was held captive, all the hours spent alone and her only company were the books in her cell. At the time though, she didn't realise she was a prisoner, only when she escaped did she finally know what freedom was. She lifted her hands and clutched her head trying to block out everything.

"Abby, wait," Jack said going after his daughter. "It's okay, you're here now you're safe." He said holding her close to him. "I didn't mean to upset you." Sometimes he forgot that it had only been two months since they had found her. Before that, she had been living with a madman as his lab experiment. Jack couldn't even start to imagine what she had been through. He kissed the top of her head and brushed her jet-black hair out of her face. Slowly she lowered her arms. From behind them, they heard the sound of plates breaking.

"Sugar!" he heard his step-father say.

"Mom!" Jack called out behind him. Abigail and Jack rushed into the kitchen. "Are you okay?"

"Junior has decided to come early," his step-father informed him while he rubbed his mother's back. She was holding onto the back of the chair and bent over. "Can you get your mother to the car while I get her things for the hospital together?" With that his step-father rushed upstairs.

"Sure," Jack replied and started to rub his mother's back like his step-father had been doing. Jacey started to fidget in her high chair and was confused about what was going on. Abigail was also unsure about all the chaos going on around her.

"It's okay, Jacey," June reassured her as she breathed her way through another contraction.

"Grandma?" Abigail was starting to panic too.

"Jack, see to the girls first. I'll be okay for a minute." his mother told him and Jack let Jacey out of her highchair, a little toddler meltdown was brewing.

"Abby, I need you to be a brave girl. Can you take Jacey a hold of Jacey for me while I help grandma to the garage?"

"What's happening, daddy?" she asked taking a Jacey who was on the verge of tears.

"Grandma is going to be alright, the baby is on its way," he assured her then went over to his mother and wrapped her arm around his neck. "Ready?" They stumbled through the dining room into the kitchen and to the garage door.

"Jack, what's wrong?" Arcee asked when he entered with his mother groaning in pain.

"The baby is coming," he said.

"Does it have to come now?" Jack shot Arcee as look as if to say 'really'. "Okay, I guess it does," she added.

"Damn it, I forgot the keys," Jack swore.

"Language, Jack," his mother scolded him. "Go get them I'll be alright for a minute." Jack rushed inside the house and grabbed the keys off the kitchen counter just as his step-father was bumbling down the stairs. He settled his mother in the passenger seat of the car as his step-father entered the garage with a large duffel bag.

"Can you watch Jacey while we're gone? We'll let you know when we're at the hospital." his step-father said as he tossed the bag into the back seat and Jack handed him the car keys.

"Sure," Jack said taking Jacey from Abigail. Jacey was starting to cry as she saw her father get into the car.

"Dada," she called out and tried to push Jack away. "No want Ackie,"

"Shhh… Jacey, ow, don't hit," Jack tried to calm the wriggling toddler. The garage door opened and the car rolled out onto the street. Jacey saw her parents leaving and went into full toddler meltdown. Jack sighed, at least he hadn't had to go through this with Abigail. Once the garage door closed Arcee transformed from her motorcycle form into her bipedal form.

"Now what?" she asked looking at Jack holding onto the screaming toddler. Abigail was still looking around nervously.

"Now we wait," Jack called over the top of Jacey's cries. "I'll go put some cartoons on, that will calm her down. You coming Abby?"

"I'm staying here," she replied and looked up at Arcee.

"Suit yourself," and Jack left.

Abigail let out a sigh and slumped down next to Arcee. "I'm never having kids," she said.

"That's what I said and look where that got me," she smiled at her daughter and poked her playfully.

"Mom," Abigail said and transformed into her Cybertronian form then swatted at Arcee's hand. Arcee transformed into her motorcycle form and drove around the garage while Abigail tried to catch up with her.


	2. A home part 2

**Hello dear readers,**

 **Sorry for the long wait.** **Life has given me lemons lately and I've had a lot of stuff to deal with. Also in the previous story I often wrote a few chapters in advance before I started posting. With this story I'm posting more or less as soon as I've written them. I tend to write when inspiration strikes me.**

 **Thanks for hanging in there,**

 **Enjoy~**

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The next day Jack visited his mother in hospital with Jacey. As soon as they arrived the toddler clambered up onto the hospital bed and was surprised that her mother was holding something. Her eyes suddenly became full of curiosity as she drew nearer.

"Hey, you two, come meet your baby brother," she smiled weakly. She looked exhausted, her hair was messy and her complexion pale, labour had taken a toll on her especially now that she was older and it was her third child. In her arms she was carrying a small bundle wrapped in a pale blue blanket and pulled the it aside a little to reveal the new-born in her arms.

"Meet Junior," said his step-father resting an arm on his wife's shoulder. The little boy was the perfect mix of June and Bill, his skin was a rich cocoa colour and his hair was a mass of black curls. Jack was reminded of when Jacey was born.

"Can I hold him?" Jack asked tentatively.

"Sure," and his little brother was placed in his arms.

"Hey, I'm your big brother, Jack," he said smiling at the baby in his arms. Jacey still wasn't sure about what was going on and wasn't bothered about the baby. She just wanted her mother and snuggled up to her on the bed.

"You're a big sister now, Jacey," Jack said and showed her their new sibling.

"Huh?" she replied not sure what that meant but Jack had a feeling she would find out soon enough.

A few days later June returned from the hospital and introduced Arcee and Abigail to the newest member of the family.

"Do all humans start off that small?" Arcee half-asked half-joked and Jack nodded with a smile. She was crouched in the garage since it was the only place where the nosy neighbours couldn't look in while she was in her natural form. She reached a finger towards Junior, he was incredibly tiny compared to her and she hovered her hand over him not daring to touch him in case she accidentally hurt him. Humans were such fragile creatures.

Abigail was the most curious as she'd never seen a baby before. When she was 'born' she was already more or less the size she was now. She seemed to take more interest in her cousin than his sister did. Jacey, on the other hand, did not like the baby as soon as June and Junior had arrived home from the hospital. She'd always been the centre of attention before he'd come along and now suddenly everyone's attention was focused elsewhere. The last few days she had been acting out and having more of her temper tantrums than usual and was a lot moodier. While everyone was distracted and gushing over the baby she went over to the toolbox on the workbench and gave it a push so it fell over with a loud clatter spilling the contents across the floor.

"Jacy!" her mother scolded. "What did you do that for?" and immediately the waterworks started. She cried and threw herself on the floor, although she had expected her mother to yell at her she had hoped her mother would come over and see what the matter was. Instead, Jack came over and started to help pick up the tools.

"Come on, Jacey, let's pick them up together." He offered.

"Nooooo!" she wailed. Then Bill came in to see what all the commotion was about and agreed with Jack's mother that she was just overtired and due for a nap. He whisked the child away her sobs seemed to calm down as she cuddled into her father.

"She's going to be a handful," June sighed.

"You betcha," Jack said with a chuckle.

Now that Junior was born, it meant that Jack and his family had to move out. The house he'd grown up in was just getting too small for six people and a bot. He also was glad to get some relief from how noisy the house had suddenly become since the arrival of Junior. Even Abigail seemed pretty fed up with the fact that every time Junior would cry, as babies do, Jacey would misbehave to get attention. A couple of times Jack had taken Jacey off to the local park just to give his parents some relief.

By the end of the week he was glad to hear that his mortgage for the mechanic shop had been approved. He smiled as he walked out of the estate agent's with the key and proudly showed it to Arcee, who was concealed in her vehicular form.

"Our own place, Cee," he beamed as he got on her and they drove back to his mother's house. Abigail was waiting for them and as soon as she heard the familiar roar of Arcee's engine she put on her helmet and headed outside. She hopped on Arcee behind Jack then within five minutes they were at their new home.

"Here we are," Jack said and opened the door with grand gesture feeling a sense of pride for being able to buy his own home and provide for his family. Once inside Arcee transformed and so did Abigail. She was much taller than her father in this form but still a lot shorter than her mother. He wondered just how tall she would grow to be. Come to think of it he didn't really know much about Cybertronian lifecycles despite his partner being one. He was going to have to ask Arcee about that later although he hoped it would be too awkward. Abigail seemed to enjoy being in her Cybertronian form the most and playfully chased after Arcee, there was more than enough room for them even though there were some empty oil barrels and cables scattered on the floor.

"You can't catch me," Arcee said running past Jack causing a rush of air and dust to rise. He coughed and shook the dust out of his hair.

"Hey watch out! Small squishy human here," he called to them and Abigail skidded to a halt.

"Sorry, daddy," and the three of them burst out laughing.

A few hours later Jack slumped down on the floor with exhaustion and Abigail sat next to him. Both were covered in splatters of paint but triumphant that they had finished painting the main garage room. Arcee was just finishing off the last corner of the ceiling, the roller delicately placed between her index finger and thumb.

"You know it's looking better already," Arcee said standing back and admiring their handiwork. More than anything she was glad she could stand upright and walk around the room freely. Jack had been right about it being perfect for the three of them. Later on that week builders arrived to fit new windows and once the new furniture was in place it felt even more homely.

The garage part of the house had a large custom-built platform for Arcee and Jack to sleep on, with stairs leading up. On Jack's side of the 'bed' was a side table with an alarm clock and phone charging stand. Though Arcee didn't need to sleep she enjoyed resting next to Jack while he slept. There was also a corner of the garage which had been previously used to wash cars so they decided to turn that into a makeshift shower stall for Arcee should she feel the need to clean herself off. A third corner contained giant shelves stocked with energon cubes for Arcee and Abigail. Their bright blue glow illuminated the room at night time creating a rather tranquil atmosphere.

The rest of the house contained a combined kitchen, living and dining room, an upstairs bathroom, two bedrooms although the second bedroom would eventually become a guest room, and a downstairs toilet. The furniture was of simple Swedish design that Jack chose since Arcee had told him to pick what he liked. It wasn't like she was going use those rooms anyway.

Jack was just collecting the last of his things when his parents came out to say goodbye.

"I can't believe my boy has a place of his own now. It seems only yesterday you were Junior's age. " Jack's mother hugged her eldest son tight, a sense of pride and a single tear trickled down her cheek.

"Come on mom, I can't stay living at home forever. Besides, it's not that far and you know you can visit any time." He placed his hand on her cheek and wiped her tear away with his thumb. Behind him he heard Junior stir in his step-father's arms.

"Sugar, you better take him. It's time for his next feed," he handed his son over to his wife and once she headed inside he turned to Jack "she's still emotional from all the hormones. She'll be fine."

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, see you at work on Monday," Bill said and with that Jack was on his way to starting a new life with a family of his own.

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Meanwhile in an unknown location.

"Mayday. Mayday, Cybertron Control. If you can hear me, this is maximum security prison ship Alchemor. We have crashed on an unknown planet. Many of the containment pods were disengaged, but the one I can see still appears to be intact, so I'm hopeful none of the prisoners has—"


End file.
